Steve Weagant

I am booked on this flight. I just need to get to New Orleans today for a cruise that departs tomorrow. The flight is delayed due to mechanical issues and efforts at locating a replacement aircraft.

My assumption is that southwest will get me to msy today if I'm patient. It is early in the day and I believe they can sort this out. Is there anything that I need to worry about.

joshua362

Yes, absolutely, that they cancel the flight outright and the next possibilites are already or will be sold out for the next few days.

Consider booking a speculative next flight right now even if it means connections.

If forced to take it, perhaps call and ask for a price / points adjustment between the 2.

Steve Weagant

I'll look into that now.

joshua362

Best of luck!

Hopefully they'll work this out but if they can't and just suddenly cancel it, you can be stuck for days. Happened to 6 of us in FL due Hurricane Irene in NY and it was 5 days before any seats became available. We had to drive home.

Moving the baggage might complicate matters too so keep that in mind and be prepared to ask for help. They once located and moved bags for me at MDW so I could make an earlier connection but that was pre 9/11.

Steve Weagant

There were plenty of options for earlier flights but the agent stated that bags would not be rerouted onto earlier flights that connected. If the original flight is cancelled the bag would be sent to new Orleans on the next non-stop which isn't until 7:50 pm. Thus I would get to New Orleans and have to sit and wait for my bag or make a second trip to the airport.

Since I am going on a cruise I had a bigger than usual bag and don't want to be separated. So I changed to the 7:50 pm flight. Long day at Midway, but tolerable because I'll get there.

I travel several Times per year and have had good luck with travel. Now the bad luck ck caught up.

Steve Weagant

About 20 minutes later there was announcement that an aircraft was being flown in from Houston be used for this flight and that it would leave at 1:35 for sure. I switched back. The gate agent was very helpful through every step of the way. She even gave me a pre-board boarding pass. I would have been happy with position C 12654 as long as I got to msy.

We are also going to get a 200 dollar voucher.

If course this is a terrible inconvenience for those on a tight schedule. I am glad I wasn't in that situation.

tusphotog

Glad you were smart and booked an early flight with an overnight before your cruise as opposed to arriving three hours before the cruise departs.

joshua362

Great that its working out. And that you had other options out of MDW which other stations don't. And that you didn't leave the airport as I would probably would have once booked on the later. Have a great trip!

Gig103

You were on a tight schedule! I'm glad to see it all worked out for you. I had a flight cancellation right before a cruise once and didn't get to FLL until 11am day of departure. Glad I had planned on an overnight. Enjoy the cruise!!!

Steve Weagant

The overall effort was genuine and compassionate. The flight crew was extremely friendly. Once we pulled back it was a fast taxi and take off.

In New Orleans for some reason they used two baggage carousel. We were sent to 3. Most bags came out, but not mine and those of 30-30 other pax. Then there was an announcement that the remaining bags were on 1. I was relieved to see mine on 1.

This was a day when following the flyertalk advice of being calm and courteous helped. The gate agent at B7 was providing very clear, detailed updates. I complimented and thanked her. I was initially planning on sticking with the original flight.

After my questions on flyertalk I went back and worked on changing to the later flight. Then asked to be switched back. This was when I got the pre-board boarding pass. I did not mention losing my early bird check in spot, which was refunded instantly when I changed to the later flight. Either she was aware of it or appreciated my earlier comments, but I really appreciated the effort.